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Lumines Supernova creator interview

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Discover the hidden depths of Lumines Supernova with Q Entertainment's Chief Creative Officer Tetsuya Mizuguchi. "Sit back, relax and get into the groove. You will be addicted in no time..."

What inspired the visual style of Lumines?

It's difficult to discuss just one component of Lumines, so I may as well explain how this game came to be. The style and image of PSP [the system Lumines originated on] immediately triggered my desire to create a game where you plug your headset in and play anywhere, anytime. When integrating music into gameplay, I was imagining all the various connections between the music and game while holding a Controller, thinking subjectively and objectively, the relationship between call and response, the chemical reaction of pleasant and fun, the process and mechanism that happens within a human body.

After thinking of that for some time, I gradually started to see an idea in the back of my mind. In-between all of this, I continued to travel - which I love to do, not just for sightseeing, but to learn and share the experience of many different cultures and people. My travel experiences helped build the visual style for the game. When you play Lumines, hopefully you're able to feel the chemical reaction happening with the music, background visuals, block colours, sound effects and all other elements that make this game complete.

How did you go about trying to improve the classic and novel gameplay formula of Lumines without sacrificing its appeal or simplicity?

Fortunately, we did not have to make any major adjustments to the gameplay mechanics - it feels and plays just like the original Lumines. The biggest improvement and upgrade to Lumines Supernova is that you can play the game and appreciate the difference of High Definition and 5.1 Surround Sound. We also added two brand new modes: Dig Down mode, where you dig downwards as you erase the blocks, and Sequencer mode, where you can create your own music and play to a customise skin.

In what ways do you feel Lumines Supernova is suited to PSN?

Lumines Supernova fits perfectly to PSN - it fulfils your appetite when you want to play a simple, casual, fun game. Warning: it is addictive! We couldn't be more excited to deliver the same addictive experience shared on PSP to the PlayStation 3 audience - especially in HD and 5.1. Lumines Supernova is the best value package released to date, with over 60 exciting skins in one.

PSN provides an avenue for all types of gamers to find games that are satisfying, but at the same time more compact, pick-up-and-play types that may not necessarily ask for several hours of gameplay at a time. The ability to create and add more content is very attractive - it motivates and helps us come up with various ideas that were not possible before when downloadable platforms were not available. For example, in the case of Lumines Supernova, Dig Down mode includes a ranking system where you can compete your time against other players.

What are the main things in Supernova which you are most proud of?

We created brand new skins for this version of Lumines, but we also came up with two new modes: firstly the Dig Down mode - using the falling blocks, your goal is to erase squares from a playfield already filled with blocks as you dig down to the bottom. You can show off your digging skills as your completion time is ranked based on clearing 20 consecutive stages.

Secondly the Sequencer mode - you can create your own background music using the sound loops provided in the Sound Bank - drums, bass, synthesizer 1, synthesizer 2 and effects each come with 20 different loops. Create your own customised Lumines experience!

How did the LittleBigPlanet skins get introduced to the game?

LBP carries a unique visual style and we wanted to give it a try - to see if the visuals, music, sounds would come together as one, just like the other skins in the game. Surprisingly it did and the folks at Media Molecule seemed to like it as well!

Do you have any tips for beginners?

Sit back, relax and get into the groove. You will be addicted in no time!

What do you think is the next step for Lumines?

Now having seen Lumines on the big screen, and in HD, we would like to see how much further we can push the limits in terms of graphics and game design. A more advanced, evolved Lumines would be our next goal.